THE SIR SUPPLIED DR. TOOGOOD WITH A SELENIUM REAGENT. THE SELONE PROVIDED WILL BE USED TO ASCERTAIN THE OPTICAL PURITY OF A KEY THIAZOLE-CONTAINING INTERMEDIATE IN THE TOTAL SYNTHESIS OF THE CYTOTOXIC NATURAL PRODUCT KERAMAMIDE F. THE THIAZOLE-RING IN THIS COMPOUND IS ADJACENT TO A CHIRALCENTER. PREPARATION OF CHIRAL THIAZOLES E.G. VIA A HANTZSCHREACTION, OFTEN LEADS TO RACEMIC PRODUCTS THEREFORE IT IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT TO MONITOR THE PURITY OF OUR SYNTHETIC MATERIAL. KERAMAMIDE F IS A MARINE SPONGE NATURAL PRODUCT THAT IS OF INTEREST, BOTH FOR ITS INTERESTING STRUCTURE, INCLUDING SEVERAL UNUSUAL AMINO ACIDS E.G. DIDEHYDROTRYPTOPHAN, O-METHYLSERYLTHIAZOLE, AND FOR ITS BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY. SYNTHETIC KERAMAMIDE F WILL BE USED TO DETERMINE THE MECHANISM OF CYTOTOXICITY, AND FOR STRUCTURAL STUDIES.